


Happily Ever After?

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-03-26
Updated: 2004-03-26
Packaged: 2019-05-30 22:46:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15106388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: The President questions CJ about Ben and love.





	Happily Ever After?

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Happily Ever After?

**Happily Ever After?**

**by:** soft lite

**Character(s):** Jed, CJ.  
**Pairing(s):** CJ/Ben, CJ/Danny  
**Category(s):** drabble, romance  
**Rating:** G  
**Disclaimer:** Characters from "The West Wing" are not mine.  
**Summary:** The President questions CJ about Ben and love.  
**Author's Note:** I don't even need a new episode with more Ben in it to inspire more stories to get rid of him. Course, they're all starting to sound a little the same...  
**Challenge:** I put what I hope is a very subtle TWW joke in here. Can anyone find it?  


"Hello, CJ." The President peered at her over his glasses, looking up from the two-page report he had in his hands. 

"Good morning, Mr. President." 

"Abbey tells me someone apparently named 'handsome Ben' has been around to see you, but we keep you too busy to spend time with him." He put the report down and walked around the desk to face her. 

CJ shrugged. "He's been here a couple times and I was too busy to spend more than a minute with him." 

The President took off his glasses and gestured with them. "Are you aware he's only separated, not divorced?" 

"No, sir." CJ's eyes widened as she stared in astonishment and horror. 

Apparently the President approved of her reaction because he didn't dwell on the subject. "You dated him in college." 

"And for a while after, yes." Having recovered somewhat, CJ returned to nodding. 

"Why did you break up with him?" 

"He has a number of irritating habits." CJ confessed, clearly not wanting to go into details. 

The President seemed less interested in what those habits were than in why they no longer mattered. "And now you're mature enough to overlook those?" 

"I wasn't planning to live with him again." 

"So you're not interested in a serious relationship with him." The President's voice dwindled in disappointment, and CJ could only hang her head. "CJ, someday in the future you're going to fall in love." 

Voice barely above a whisper, CJ responded, "God, I hope not." Realizing the words had slipped out audibly, CJ looked up, horrified that the President had heard this, and she saw the distress and sadness in his features. "I don't think I could stand that again, sir." 

"You've fallen in love before?" At her reluctant nod, he asked the obvious question: "What happened?" 

Although he couldn't see them, he could hear the tears in her tenor. "He left because I wouldn't date him." 

In soothing, sympathetic tones, he asked, "This is the only guy you've thought of happily ever aftering with?" 

"Yes." It was more like a very soft gasp than a word. 

After allowing a moment for her to compose herself, he continued. "How long ago did he break your heart?" 

"He didn't exactly . . . ." 

"When did he leave?" The President cut her off to ask a more specific question. 

Looking deeply and desperately into his eyes, she asked, "Which time?" 

It took a moment for the President to accept this. "He's come back after being rejected by you and left again?" 

"He seems to have a high tolerance for rejection." CJ attempted a smile. 

The President remained serious. "His feelings for you must dwarf his ego." 

"He's very interested." CJ confirmed with a nod. "He's just discouraged because I won't, you know." 

"Have sex with him?" 

CJ's eyes shot up to meet the President's. "A date. Hold hands. A kiss. Hell, he'd probably even settle for a walk." 

The lines around the President's eyes increased. "So why don't you take a walk with him?" 

CJ's face fell, her head drooped, and her eyes closed. "I can't." 

"Why not?" CJ whispered something so softly that he had to ask again. "Why?" 

Voice quavering and cracking with emotion, CJ explained: "He's our senior correspondent." 


End file.
